My husband and I recently moved from a city we loved to pursue new opportunities. We left beloved friends, a great church, and a wonderful suburb with the best neighbors one could imagine. Though it was a hard decision to make, we truly felt that God was leading us to another state.

Once we arrived, I experienced extreme feelings of loss. Though I was surrounded by warm weather, gorgeous beaches, and beautiful palm trees, I just couldn’t get past feeling a deep regret. I tried to meet new people through group functions. I attended conferences and networking events. My husband and I visited several churches. Yet, even with all of these activities, I still felt empty and sad. I tried to hide it, but I missed the life I left behind.

I prayed to God daily and asked him “God, why am I here?” The quiet voice I heard said “there are greater things in store for you, but you must trust me”. Well, even though I heard that voice, I still had a hard time with the transition. And I thought, “how am I going to encourage and motivate others when I’m feeling so discouraged?”

It’s in times like these that you need loving phone calls from good friends and family members, inspiration from God’s words, and motivational insight from a respected Christian Leader. As I was watching Joel Osteen one morning, he said that sometimes God takes us through a season of being alone. This is time we can draw closer to God, time we would normally give to another person or activity. God wants us to embrace our season of isolation. During these moments, we experience a pruning process so that we can bear much fruit.

Hearing Joel recite God’s word was life-changing. I had a new perspective on things. Even though I felt sad and I missed my old life, I had confidence knowing these feelings were temporary and God was doing a new work in me.

Focusing on people and things we lost can make us lose sight of the beautiful palm trees in front of us. Center your thoughts around the benefits of your new situation. It may feel uncomfortable for a while, but trust God to bring insight, peace and comfort right where you are.